Railway switch operating apparatus



1932' a. v. JEFFERSON ET AL 1,837,376

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1932' 3 Sheets-Sheet l 11v VENTOR. Glenn VJefi/enson and By Edwin Glz'zzle.

THEIR A T T ORNE Y.

Nov. 8, 1932. G. v. JEFFERSON ET AL 1,337,376

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1952 INVENTOR. Glenn lick/1 9129012 and Edwin G. Lizzle.

THEIR ATTORNEY.

Fig.5.

1932- G. v. JEFFERSON ET AL 1,337,376

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATiNG APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 19:2 s Sheets-Sheet a 11v VENTOR. 0101212 l Jeffiensozz and 5622002 G. Ll'ille.

THEIR ATTORNEY.

' erating apparatus, and particularly to appa- Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES mm o FIcE Q:

GLENN v. JEFFERSON AND EDWIN G. LITTLE; on wILKrNsBuno, rnN sYnvAN'rn; ASSIGNORS ro THE UNION SWITCH '& SIGNAL co rANxoF swIssvALnrnNNsYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENIESYLVA NIA RAILWAY swircn OPERATING ArrARA'r s Application filed January 5,

Our invention relates to railway switch op ratus of the type whereby a track switch may be optionally operated either by a power '5} device or by a manually operable lever.

more fully hereinafter, and it is in no way One object of our invention is the provision, in apparatus of the type described,- of novel and improved means forj locking the apparatus against manual operation by unauthorized persons. Y j

We will describe two forms of apparatus embodying our invention, and will tlien'point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a switch machine provided with looking apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. -Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2. Fig.4 isv a sectional view taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of hand-throw lever B forming part of the apparatus shownin F ig..1. Fig.6 is a front elevational view of the plate member'l forming part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a front elevational view showing a modified form of our invention. f

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters A and B designate two levers which, as here shown, are the selector and hand throw levers, respectively, of a railway switch machine of the type whereby a switch may be operated either by hand or by power means. These levers are mounted for rotation about a common axis, and each may be rotated from the extreme position shown through an-angle of approximately 220 to another extremeposition. Our present invention relates solely to a means for-locking the levers in certain predetermined positions, as will be explained concerned with the mechanism of the switch machine. Accordingly, .it is believed that a detailed description of the mechanism of the switch machine would be superfluous, and that a full understanding of our present in vention will be had from the following. brief .switchmachinep v I When the selector lever A occupies the exder these conditions. selector lever occupies shownand the hand-throwlever occupies its 1932. Serial No. 584,818.

description of the treme position in which it vis shown in the drawings, the track switch is disconnected from the hand-throw lever'and is connected with a suitable power device, not sh'own,-such for example, as an electric or fluidpressure motor. If, however,'the selector lever A is rotated from theextreme position shown to its other extreme position, the track. switch will then become disconnected from the power device and. will become connected with-the hand-throw lever B. Under these latter conditions,'the switch maybe reversed at the will of the operator by operating the handthrow lever from one extremeposition to the other.

The locking meansembodying'our inven ti'on includes a plate member '1 which is located between a hub 4; formedon the selector leverv A and a hub. 6 formed onthe I handthrow lever B, and which plateitmember: is

fastened at its lower end to a bracket 2 secured to the'side of the; switch machine. The. plate member 1 has formediin one sidethereof a recess 3 which receives the hub 41; of the selector lever, an d in the other sidethereof a recess?) which receives the hub 6 of the hand-throw lever. Extending through the plate member l ,between the hubs 4 and'6 is a hole, 7 (see Figs. 4; and 6) in which 'a steel ball 8 having a diameter which is somewhat larger than the'length .of the hole 7 is loosely mounted. When the selector and hand-throwlevers occupy the extreme posi tions in which theyare shown in the drawings, the hub 4 of the selector lever engages the general operation of the i steel ball 8 and forces it part wayinto a recess 10 formed in the hub 6,;of the handthrow lever, thus locking the hand-throw lever againstany movement whatsoever un Similarly, when the the extreme position opposite extreme position,the hub- 1 ofthe selector lever againengages the steel ball8 and forces it into anoth'errecess 11 in the hub It will be apparent from an inspection of treme position. If, however, the selector lever is rotated from the extreme position shown to its opposite extreme position, a re cess 12, formed in the hub 4 of the selector lever, will then be in alignment with the steel ball 8, and under these latter conditions, the hand-throw lever can be operated, the steel ball 8 being forced into the recess 12 and-out of the recess 10 or 11, depending upon which extreme position the hand-throw lever initially occupied.

The locking means embodying our invention also comprises a locking dog 13 which as best seen in Fig; 3 is .pivotally supported on a pin 14 carried by two latterly extending arms 15 formed on the bracket 2. The dog 13 is biased by gravity to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, and isadapted to coo-per- "ate at its inner end with a notch 16 in the plate member 1 ('se e Figs. 3and-6). Thedog 13 is also adapted to cooperate with a notch 17 (see Fig.2) in the periphery of the hub 4 of the selector lever, and with two angularly spaced notches 18 and 19 see Fig. 5) in the periphery of the hub-6 of thehandthrow lever. The notch 17 is V-shaped, and is so positioned thatthis notch will align with the notch 16 in the plate member 1 when and only when the selector lever occupies the extreme .position shown in the drawings. The notches 18 and 19 are so positioned that these notches will align respectively with the notch 16 in the plate member 1 according as the hand-throw lever occupies :the extreme position in which it is .shown in the drawings or its oppos1te extreme position.

the drawings that when the notches 16, 17

occupy the extreme positions shown,the

dog 13 will automatically enterthese notches due to its bias. Similarly, when the notches 16, 17 and 19 are all in alignment, as is the case when the selector lever occupies the extreme position shown, and the hand-throw lever occupies its opposite extreme position,

the dog will then automatically enter these notches, If, under either of the above conditions, a locking device, such for example as a padlock 20, is placed in an eye 21 formed in the upper part of the outer end o fthe dog as shown in Fig. 3, the padlock will engage the under side of the arms 15 and will prevent clockwise rotation of the dog, and. it follows that both levers will then be locked against movement vby the dog. If. however,

*the padlock 20 isremoved from the eye:21,

v tion 1s usuallytermed a prehmmary movement ofthe lever, the switch will become disthe dog 13 will then be free to rotate olockwise, and if the selector'lever A isthen rotated from the extreme position shown, the

' dog, due to the shape of the notch 17in the selector lever, will' be automatically moved out of engagement with all "of the notches I which it previously occupied and will subsequently be held out of engagement with that in which it is shown in the drawings, "the hand-throw levermay be operated from one extreme position to the other to reverse the switch at the will of the operator, as previously described. V

lheextreme positions of the selector lever are limited by means/o1 two adjustable stop screwsQ-Q and 22 which are screwed into lugs 24 and 23, respectively, formed" on the bottom of the plate member 1.; The stop screws 22 are each locked in their adjusted positions by means of a lock nut 25. The extreme positions of the hand-throw lever are determined by two stop members 26 and 27 secured to the side of the switch machine, I-nFig. 7 we have shownourinvention applied to a switch machine of the type describeda'nd claimed in an application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 557 ,835, filed by Edwin G. Little on Au-' gust 15, 1931. Referring to Fig. 7, the reference character B1 designates a hand-throw and foot pedal correspond, respectively, to

the hand-throw lever 26 and foot pedal 51 in the said Little application. The hand throw lever B1 is rotatable from the position in, which i it is illustrated in the drawings through an angle of approximately 220, and

the foot pedal O is biased to the position in which it is illustrated. in full lines in the drawings by suitable means notshown, but may be depressed to the position in which it is shown in dotted lines.v The operation of the switch machine is fully described in the said Little application, and for a clear understanding of our present invention, the operatlon need be only briefly outlined.

. When the hand-throw lever B1 occupies either extreme position and the foot pedalC occupies theposition in which it is shown in full lines in the drawings, the switch is disconnected from the hand-throw lever and is connected with a suitable power device not shown. If, however, the hand-throw lever is rotated from either'extreme position through an angle of approximately 20, which rota- I If the position of the switch and hand-throw lever do not cormovement.

switch is connected with the hand-throw lever, the switch may be reversed at the will or the operator by rotating the lever B1 be -c tween the positions at which the two preliminary movements terminate, this movement of the lever being referred to as the main In order to disconnect the switch from the hand-throw lever after it has been connected with the lever, and to again connect it with the power device, the handthrow lever B1 is rotated to one end or the other of the main part of its movement and the foot pedal C is depressed. The depression of the foot pedal C disconnects the lever from the switch and connects the switch with the power device, and the lever may then he moved to its adjacent extreme position.

Formed in the hub 35 of the hand-throw lever B1 are three notches 28, 29. and 30, which are adapted to cooperate with a locking dog 31 formed on the foot pedal C. The locking dog 3l is so proportioned and the location of the notches 28 and 80 are such that, if the foot pedal is permitted to move to its full line position under the action of its bias when the hand-throw lever occupies the extreme position shown or its opposite extreme position, the dog 31 will enter the notch 30 or the notch .28 as the case may be.

, Under either of these conditions, if the padlock 20 is inserted in an eye 32 located in an extension 33 formed on the foot pedal C, the padlock will cooperate with a lug 34 formed on the case of the switch machine to prevent the foot pedal from being depressed sufiiciently to withdraw the dog 31 from either of the notches 28 or 30, thus locking the'handthrow lever against movement. If, however, the padlock 20 is removed from the eye 32, and the foot pedal is depressed just far ated notch, the hand-throw lever may then be rotated in the manner previously described. The parts are so proportioned that the movement of the foot'pedal necessary to unlock the hand-throw lever will have no etl'ecton the remainder of the switch operating apparatus. If thefoot pedal C is released after the hand-throw lever has been rotated from either extreme position through the preliminary part of its movement, the locking dog 31 will then enter the notch 29. When the dog is within this notch, the ends of the notch act as stops to limit the main part of the movement of the lever to the desired amount. 1

Although we have herein shown and described only two forms of railway switch operating apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes times preventing said dogfrom said notches. enough to withdraw the dog from the associand modifications may be'madether'ein with 'in thescope of the appended claims without p r ing rfromthe: spirit and scope of our invention. v c.

"Having thus described our invention, what we claimis: 1 I v 1.; In combination, two leverseach rotatable between two extreme.positions,=one of said levers being provided with two spaced notches, a .dogadapted ,to entercone or the other of said notches according assaidi'one lever occupies one or the other of its extreme positions when said other lever occupies-its one extreme position, a padlock, and means including said padlock for at times pre venting withdrawal of said .dog from'said notch.

2.; In combination, a firstleverrotatable between two extreme positions and provided with twoispaced notches, a second; lever rotatable between 'two extreme positions and provided with a, single notch, a'dog'biased to a position in which said dog will enter the notchlin said second vleverv and one or the other of the notches in said first leverv according as said first lever occupies one or the other of its extreme positionswhensaid second lever "occupies its one but not its other extreme-position, and means for at withdrawal of said dog from said notches. 1 1

3In combination, a first-lever rotatable between two extreme positions and provided with .twospaced notches, a second lever rotatable between two extreme positions and provided with a single notch, a dog biased to a-posi-tion in which saiddog willenter' the notch-in said second levercand one or the otherof the notches in said first-lever, according as said first lever occupies one or the other of its extreme positions when said second leveroccupiesits one but not its other extreme .position, and {a single. instrumentalityfor at times preventing withdrawal of 4-. Vin combination, a first lever rotatable tatabl'e between two extreme positions and provided with a'single notch, a dog biased to a position in which said dog will enter I V the notch insaidv second lever and one or the other of the notches in said first lever according as said first lever occupies one or the other ofitsextreme positions when said second lever occupies its one but not its other extreme position, a padlock, and means including said padlock for at times preventing withdrawal or said dog from said notches.

5.v In combination, a first lever rotatable between two extreme positions and provided 7 in its hub with two spaced notches, a second lever rotatable between twoextreme positions and provided in its hub with a single notch, a fixed plate member between the tures'.

hubs of said levers and provided with a notch, the notches in said first leveribeing so disposed that one-or the other of these notches will align with the notch in said plate member according as said first lever occupies one extreme position or the other and the notch in said second lever being so disposed that this notch will align with the notch in said plate member when and only when said second lever occupies one of its extreme positions, a dog biased to a position in whichthe dog'will enter the one notch in :said first lever, the notch in said plate member and the notch in said second lever when these notches are all in alignment, or the other notch in said first lever, the notch in said plate member and the notch in said second lever when these notches are all in align- Y 'ment; and means cooperating with said dog for at times locking said dog inthe position in which the'dog is in onegroup or the other 01": said notches to lock both levers against movement a 6. In combination, a lever rotatable between two extreme positions and provided with a notch, a foot pedal movable between a first position and a second position, a locking dog secured to said foot pedal in such manner that when said'foot pedal occupies its first position said dog will enter the notch in said lever if and only if said lever-occupies a predetermined one of said extreme positions, and means for at times locking said foot pedal in the position in which said dog enterssaid 'notch to lock said lever against movement. 1

7. In combination, a lever rotatable between two extreme positionsland provided with two spaced notches, a foot pedal movable'between afirstposition and a'second position, a locking dog secured to said foot pedal in such manner that said locking dog will enter one or the other of said notches according as said lever occupies one or the other of its extreme positions when said foot pedal occupies its first position, anextension on said lever provided with an eye, a padlock'adaptedto be at times inserted into said eye, and means efiective when said padlockis within said eye for locking said foot pedal in its first position. i I

In testimony'Whereof-we aflix our signa- GLENN V. JEFFERSON.

EDWIN G. LITTLE. 

